


scenery

by taelights



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Art Student Jooheon, Curator Hyungwon, Established Hyungki, Jooheon Bingo, M/M, Multi, Museums, Photographer Kihyun, Polyamory, Pre-Poly, Pre-Relationship, Vaguely New York City Setting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 05:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18888298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taelights/pseuds/taelights
Summary: It wasn’t that Hyungwon and Kihyun were unhappy, they weren't. But ever since they started dating, at times they couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.It wasn’t until they watched Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Changkyun add Minhyuk into their relationship that they realized they wanted another person to call their own. Someone as interested in art as they were, someone who would fit perfectly into their busy lives. But after nearly two years of searching, the prospects of finding the perfect someone dwindled day after day.





	scenery

**Author's Note:**

> For the **museum** square.

A frown pulled on Kihyun’s lips as he glanced around the exhibit. His eyebrows scrunched together in deep thought as he eyed each painting carefully.

Kihyun had always hated setting up for new art shows. Spending countless hours trying to arrange artwork to perfectly convey a story only a few people would probably understand. Constantly ripping his hair out over the most insignificant of details — _There are too many oil paintings on that wall, replace some of them for watercolors_ or _the colors in this piece clash with the one hanging across from it, someone, please, switch it out immediately._

He didn’t mind helping out when the artist was in charge of this process. Getting to sit back and overlook the whole project, only making a few suggestions here and there to ensure the Chae Institution of Modern Art’s new exhibit wasn’t a complete mess.

But this time, Kihyun was in full control, and he had to make sure everything looked perfect.

Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Changkyun had approached them earlier in the year asking for permission to host an exhibit of Minhyuk’s artwork for a month, as a two-year anniversary gift to their partner. Hyungwon agreed to six months, knowing it would give Minhyuk the opportunity he needed to be seen by enough influential artists to really get his career as a painter going.

After that, the plan had been simple: Changkyun would take Minhyuk out of town for the day while Hoseok and Hyunwoo helped Kihyun set up the display.

Kihyun enjoyed getting to spend time Hoseok and Hyunwoo but hearing the way they adoringly talked about Changkyun and enthusiastically praised each of Minhyuk’s pieces stirred up something deep inside Kihyun.

A part of him envied what his best friends had.

It wasn’t that Hyungwon and Kihyun were unhappy, they weren't. But ever since they started dating, at times they couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.

It wasn’t until they watched Hoseok, Hyunwoo, and Changkyun add Minhyuk into their relationship that they realized they wanted another person to call their own. Someone as interested in art as they were, someone who would fit perfectly into their busy lives. But after nearly two years of searching, the prospects of finding the perfect someone dwindled day after day. They would never have what their four friends had, but that’s okay.

“Hoseok, can you please swap out piece thirty-nine for forty-two?” Kihyun asked as he added another scribble to his clipboard to reflect the change.

Just as Kihyun opened his mouth to request another change, he heard the door of the gallery creak open long enough for someone to slip through.

“I brought lunch,” Hyungwon announced with a smile as he closed the door with his heel. A chorus of thank yous followed the statement as Hyungwon placed a paper bag displaying the name Donatello's Deli in green cursive letters on the folding table near the door. Hoseok pulled Hyungwon in for a hug before going to rifle through the contents of the bag. “Help yourself, I know Ki’s probably been working you guys to death.”

Hyunwoo gave Hyungwon a thankful smile as he eagerly made his way over to the table to join his boyfriend in his current task.

“I’m almost done, you know,” Kihyun said as Hoseok and Hyunwoo practically ran out of the room with an armful of Italian heroes. “Making them take a break only means they’ll be here longer.”

“You said you were almost done three hours ago.” Hyungwon’s heeled shoes clicked across the wooden floor as he strode over to Kihyun’s side, placing a hand between his shoulder blades. He placed a soft kiss on Kihyun’s cheek and handed him a large cup of tea. “You look like you need a break anyway.”

“I’m fine,” Kihyun insisted, taking a sip of tea. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he recognized the sweet rose milk flavor from his favorite cafe all the way across town. Hyungwon going that extra length to spoil him warmed his heart more the drink did his insides.

“You know what I’m going to say.”

“That I need to learn to step away for a bit so I can come back with a fresh mind, I know.” Kihyun rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help the fondness that bloomed in his chest. “You tell me that all the time.”

“That’s because it’s true, maybe one day you'll actually listen,” Hyungwon teased. He walked over to sit on one of the benches in the room. “I saw your admirer today.”

Kihyun raised an inquisitive eyebrow as he took another sip.

“You know, that cute boy I keep telling you about,” Hyungwon crossed his legs, looking at Kihyun with a curious glint in his eyes, “the one that comes by every week to sketch your photographs.”  
  
“I know, where though?” Kihyun asked. He’d been dying to see the person Hyungwon had dubbed his admirer since the first time he’d excitedly told him about the talented young man with the sharp eyes and full cheeks who came in without fail every week to make beautiful sketches. But every time he had an hour or two to stop by the museum, much to his disappointment, his admirer had never shown up.

“Your exhibit, of course. He seems to be glued to the bench from how often he sits there.” Hyungwon laughed. “He’s the one in the yellow sweater.”

Kihyun set off towards the door. “Don’t you dare move anything while I’m gone,” he said with a pointed finger before walking down the hallway toward the gallery Hyungwon had dedicated to his work.

Being close to closing, only a few people were still scattered around the museum, so it didn’t take long to spot the black haired man wearing a yellow sweater. He sat on one of the benches, legs crossed and a sketchbook balanced carefully on his thigh as he sketched one of the photographs.

Kihyun approached the artist, and he realized it was a landscape he had taken last year in Italy on his and Hyungwon’s five year anniversary that the young man was drawing details of.

“That’s beautiful,” Kihyun said, sitting down on the bench next to him.  

The man beamed as he thanked Kihyun, deep dimples appearing on his soft cheeks. In person, he was even cuter than Hyungwon had made him out to be. “What’s your name?”

“Jooheon.”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Kihyun,” he said, taking a sip of his tea to hide the smile on his face.

“You’re not supposed to have drinks in here,” Jooheon pointed out before lowering his voice to a whisper. “I almost got kicked out my first time here because I had a water bottle on me.”

“That rule doesn’t really apply when you’re dating the curator,” Kihyun said, a small smirk on his face as he took another sip.

Jooheon’s eyes seemed to brighten up the minute Kihyun mentioned that. He turned to look at the black and white portrait hanging on the wall. “These are your pictures!”

“Yeah,” Kihyun chuckled, “they are.”

“I love your work so much,” Jooheon gushed. “I always get so inspired in here. I love sketching your photographs and taking elements from some of them for my own ideas as well. You really have an eye for seeing things that most people don’t.” He clutched the edge of his notebook, eyes gleaming with what Kihyun sensed was admiration.

Kihyun smiles warmly. “Thank you. I’d love to see more of your work sometime.”

Jooheon wordlessly offered his sketchbook to Kihyun, who shook his head. “Not now. Are you free in an hour? I can treat you to some tea and pastries and you can show me then.”

“Sure,” he quickly agreed. “That will give me time to finish this one.”

After giving Jooheon permission to stick around once the museum closed until he finished setting up the new exhibit, Kihyun stopped to talk to their head of security.

“You see that boy with the yellow sweater?” Kihyun said, gesturing to where Jooheon had resumed sketching.

“Oh, Jooheon?” Seungcheol asked, a knowing grin on his face.

“You know him?”

“Of course, he comes around here every week,” Seungcheol said, leaning up against the doorway into Kihyun’s gallery. “I’ve talked to him a few times.”

“Please make sure none of your guards kick him out after we close.”

“What’s this about?”

Kihyun scratched the back of his neck. He knew he could trust Seungcheol. They’d been friends for years before he started working for Hyungwon and he knew about most of their other failed attempts. But putting it into words almost seemed too real. “We’re bringing him to a bakery after work.”

“I didn’t know you were back to trying again.”

“We never stopped,” Kihyun admitted. “We just haven’t been interested in awhile.”

Seungcheol nodded, reaching out to pat Kihyun on the arm. “Well good luck. I’ll make sure none of my boys try to kick him out.”

Thanking Seungcheol, Kihyun headed back to Minhyuk’s future exhibit.

“What’s that smirk for?” Hyungwon asked once Kihyun returned.

“I might have just gotten us a date,” he replied, strolling up to Hyungwon and throwing his arms lazily around his lover’s neck. He left a kiss on Hyungwon’s cheek. “He’s even prettier than you described.”

“So you agree with me?”

“Perhaps,” Kihyun trailed off, considering the possibilities. “If today goes well I wouldn’t mind possibly asking him on an official date.”

ღ

Kihyun sat down across from Jooheon with three plates of cookies and tea. “I hope you don’t mind but my boyfriend is going to be joining us once he’s done closing up,” he said, picking up his mug to blow softly on the lavender tea before taking a sip.

“Not at all,” Jooheon took a small bite of the flower shaped cookie. “I actually would love to meet him.” His cute, rosy lips bunched up as he spoke with his mouth full, and it took everything Kihyun had not to both scold him for being impolite and poke a finger into his dimple.

“I’m sure you’ll probably recognize him once you see him,” Kihyun replied, jumping when he felt the seat cushion beside him dip as someone slid into the booth next to him.

“Sorry, handsome.” Hyungwon’s light airy voice managing to immediately slow Kihyun’s heartbeat. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Jerk,” Kihyun muttered endearingly, placing a hand on Hyungwon’s thigh. “Jooheon, this is my partner Hyungwon.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” Jooheon said, playing with the edge of his paper plate. “Your museum is lovely.”

“Thank you. Most of the work and collecting was my father’s doing though. I’ve only owned it for a few years.”

Jooheon nodded, taking a sip of his tea. The table was quiet until Kihyun decided to speak up again to break the awkwardness between them.

“Can I see some of your sketches?”

“Of course,” Jooheon replied, fishing his small sketchbook out of his faux leather backpack. “I only have my small notebook with me though, so it’s mainly sketches of your work.”

“Maybe you can show me the rest some other time.”

Hyungwon rested his head on Kihyun’s shoulder as he flipped through the pages, careful not to smudge any of the careful pencil and charcoal detailing.

“These are beautiful,” Hyungwon remarked, Kihyun hummed in agreement.

“Are you an art student?”

Jooheon nodded, “I’m a fine arts major at the Cha Institute.”

“Oh, I got my degree in photography there.” Kihyun looked over at Hyungwon with adoring eyes. “That’s also where I met my flower. He was a sculpting student until he inherited the museum.”

The conversation began to flow easily as they talked about the art school, not much had changed from the sound of it as they exchanged tales of their time there. Finding out Jooheon was a first year, they gave him some advice on how to survive the boring but necessary introductory classes.

Jooheon was someone who seemed to truly enjoy art as much as they did and Kihyun found himself able to quickly get lost in conversation with him. Two hours felt only like a few minutes with him around, and before they knew it the three of them were being kicked out of the cafe way beyond closing time.

After exchanging numbers and their goodbyes at the door, Hyungwon looked at Kihyun with a familiar glint in his eyes. Even if he feared Jooheon might say no, Kihyun knew they should take the chance while it was still there.

With a sigh, Kihyun gathered up the courage and called after Jooheon as he headed off in the direction of the subway. Jooheon turned around, his heart-shaped lips turned up in an unreadable curl as he looked at the couple expectantly.

“Are you free this Saturday?”

“Yes,” Jooheon replied walking back over. “Why?”

“Would you like to get dinner with us?” Hyungwon asked. “I know a great restaurant downtown.”

“They have a nice vegan menu,” Kihyun added, remembering Jooheon’s preference from when he ordered for him earlier, hoping it would be good enough incentive to get him to accept.

“If I didn’t know any better I’d say it sounds like you’re asking me on a date,” Jooheon remarked, and it sounded like he was almost half hoping it would be the truth.

“We are,” Kihyun answered, deciding honesty was the best way to go. Jooheon seemed more open minded than most of their past attempts so he doubted he would get mad or offended at the suggestion of a three person date.

Jooheon seemed to consider it for a moment before smiling. “What time?” he asked.

“Does five-thirty work for you?”

“Yes. Text me the details please,” he gave them one last smile and a wave goodbye before walking away.

“That went well,” Kihyun said, taking Hyungwon’s hand in his own as they walked in the opposite direction toward their apartment.

“I told you he was cute.”

“And talented,” Kihyun added, swinging their hands back and forth. “I think he’ll fit in with us well.”

Hyungwon hummed in agreement, “I’m excited to see how this weekend will go.”

“I’m sure it will go as smoothly as today,” Kihyun reassured him. “If it does we should definitely ask him on another date.”

“Yeah,” Hyungwon smiled, a blush crossing his round cheeks. “I’d hate to see us miss out on someone like him.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading!! my goal over the summer is to improve my writing skills by writing more often and posting everything even if i'm not confident about it (like i am with this one) so hopefully i'll be posting more fics soon. 
> 
> comments and kudos are very much appreciated!!
> 
> huge thank you to both [dimplewoo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dimplewoo/pseuds/dimplewoo) & [belldroy101](https://archiveofourown.org/users/belldroy101/pseuds/belldroy101/) for all their help and support!! 
> 
> twitter: [@creamkyun](https://twitter.com/creamkyun)


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